SAN ANTONIO - Gardner (Kan.) Edgerton's Bubba Starling stands 6-foot-5 and is ranked as the No. 7 quarterback in the class of 2011.

He also is a two-sport star (as one of the top baseball players in the country) that has been called the nation's top prep athlete.

And he admits, he's a bit intimidated.

"I look around and see some of these guys and they're huge ... they're men," he said. "It's totally different than where I come from."

Welcome to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, where everybody in uniform is a high school hot-shot used to being the best.

It's an eye-opening experience, especially if you are not from one of the three big states of Florida, Texas and California - states that have 44 of this year's Top 100 players and enough swagger to fill the Alamodome, the site of Saturday's game.

Starling, a Nebraska commit who is one of the quarterbacks for the West squad, can compete with anyone. And even though Kansas high school football is on the rise, Starling acknowledges it's not the same level of competition.

"Guys keep asking me, 'What camps have you been to?' " he said. "The truth is, I haven't been to one. In the spring, I'm playing baseball."

The ability to play year-round - and their huge population basis - is something that gives the big three states an advantage.